94

Event Resources

Team Nutrition provides curricula, posters, parent handouts, and other resources free-of-charge to 

schools that participate in the Federal Child Nutrition Programs. 

Schools may request print materials using the online order form at http://tn.ntis.gov. Materials may also 

be downloaded at http://teamnutrition.usda.gov.

CURRICULA

Discover MyPlate: Nutrition Education for Kindergarteners

Discover MyPlate:

Nutrition Education 

for Kindergarteners

In this engaging six-lesson curriculum, 

kindergarteners explore healthy choices from 

each of the MyPlate food groups and learn fun 

ways to be physically active. The curriculum 

includes six emergent readers, family activity 

sheets, Look and Cook Recipe cards, a song, 

and posters.

Includes a crosswalk to educational standards for 

math, science, English language arts, and health.

Schools can download or get free 

printed copies* from Team Nutrition at: 

http://www.fns.usda.gov/tn/resourcelibrary/

*Printed copies available to schools participating

in the USDA National School Lunch Program or

other Child Nutrition Programs

Serving Up MyPlate: A Yummy Curriculum (Grades 1-6)

Serving Up 

MyPlate: A Yummy 

Curriculum

Level 1: Grades 1-2,

Level 2: Grades 3-4,

Level 3: Grades 5-6

Serving Up MyPlate introduces the importance of 

eating from all five food groups using the MyPlate 

icon and a variety of hands-on activities, while 

also teaching students the role of physical activity 

in staying healthy. There are three Teacher’s 

Guides, which each include three inquiry-driven 

lessons that help children discover nutrition, 

explain what they know, and reflect on their 

experiences. Also available are original songs, 

a poster, a parent handout, games, and more.

Includes a crosswalk to educational standards for 

math, science, English language arts, and health.

Schools can download or get free 

printed copies* from Team Nutrition at: 

http://www.fns.usda.gov/tn/resourcelibrary/

*Printed copies available to schools participating

in the USDA National School Lunch Program or

other Child Nutrition Programs
95

The Great Garden Detective Adventure (Grades 3 and 4)

The Great Garden 

Detective Adventure

Students discover what fruits and vegetables are 

sweetest, crunchiest, and juiciest through a series 

of investigations and fun experiences connecting 

the school garden to the classroom, school 

cafeteria, and home. This 11-lesson curriculum 

includes bulletin board materials, veggie dice, 

fruit and vegetable flash cards, and 10 issues of 

Garden Detective News for parents or caregivers.

Meets the Common Core standards for English 

language arts and math.

Schools can download or get free 

printed copies* from Team Nutrition at: 

http://www.fns.usda.gov/tn/resourcelibrary/

*Printed copies available to schools participating

in the USDA National School Lunch Program or

other Child Nutrition Programs

Dig In! (Grades 5 and 6)

Dig In!: 

Standards-based 

Nutrition Education 

From the Ground Up

Dig In! uses inquiry-based lessons that explore 

growing, harvesting, tasting, and learning 

about fruits and vegetables. This curriculum 

also includes a gardening guide, booklets for 

parents or caregivers, and six dynamic posters 

encouraging fruit and vegetable choices using 

different themes.

Schools can download or get free 

printed copies* from Team Nutrition at: 

http://www.fns.usda.gov/tn/resourcelibrary/

*Printed copies available to schools participating

in the USDA National School Lunch Program or

other Child Nutrition Programs

Nutrition Voyage: The Quest To Be Our Best (Grades 7 and 8)

Nutrition Voyage: 

The Quest To Be 

Our Best

Nutrition Voyage provides three inquiry-driven 

lessons that investigate school wellness. Each 

lesson includes engaging ways for students 

to learn about making healthy nutrition and 

physical activity choices. It also includes 

standards-aligned activities for math, science, 

and English language arts; and opportunities 

for students to investigate, participate in a 

challenge, evaluate, and reflect.

Includes a crosswalk to educational standards for 

math, science, and English language arts.

Schools can download or get free 

printed copies* from Team Nutrition at: 

http://www.fns.usda.gov/tn/resourcelibrary/

*Printed copies available to schools participating

in the USDA National School Lunch Program or

other Child Nutrition Programs

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96

POSTERS

Elementary 

School 

Posters 

(24”x36” or 36”x24”)

Team Nutrition offers several posters that 

encourage elementary school students to try 

unfamiliar, colorful foods and launch their day 

with a healthy breakfast. The posters feature 

different themes: Launch Your Day With 

Breakfast, Make Today a Try-Day, and Try 

New Foods (Be Brave).

Schools can view, download, and order 

the posters from Team Nutrition at:

http://www.fns.usda.gov/tn/resourcelibrary/

*Printed copies available to schools participating 

in the USDA National School Lunch Program or 

other Child Nutrition Programs

Middle 

School 

Posters 

(24”x36” or 36”x24”)

Team Nutrition offers several posters that empower 

middle school students to make healthy choices at 

mealtimes, and reinforce the benefits of doing so. 

The posters feature different themes: Power Up!

and You Control You.

Schools can view, download, and order 

the posters from Team Nutrition at:

http://www.fns.usda.gov/tn/resourcelibrary/

*Printed copies available to schools participating 

in the USDA National School Lunch Program or 

other Child Nutrition Programs

Dig In! Posters

(24”x36” or 36”x24”)

Dig In! uses inquiry-based lessons that explore 

growing, harvesting, tasting, and learning 

about fruits and vegetables. This curriculum 

also includes a gardening guide, booklets for 

parents or caregivers, and six dynamic posters 

encouraging fruit and vegetable choices using 

different themes.

Schools can view, download, and 

order the posters (separately from the 

curriculum) from Team Nutrition at: 

http://www.fns.usda.gov/tn/resourcelibrary/

*Printed copies available to schools participating 

in the USDA National School Lunch Program or 

other Child Nutrition Programs

Eat Smart To 

Play Hard With 

MyPlate Poster

(36”x24”)

This two-sided poster shows the MyPlate icon 

and foods in the five food groups. A blank 

MyPlate on the reverse can be used as a tool 

to assess students’ understanding. 

Schools can view, download, and order 

the poster from Team Nutrition at: 

http://www.fns.usda.gov/tn/resourcelibrary/ 

*Printed copies available to schools participating 

in the USDA National School Lunch Program or 

other Child Nutrition Programs

Make Half Your 

Plate Fruits and 

Vegetables Poster

This poster shows how to make a student’s tray 

or plate half fruits and vegetables at school, when 

eating out, and at home.

Schools can view, download, and order 

the poster from Team Nutrition at: 

http://www.fns.usda.gov/tn/resourcelibrary/

*Printed copies available to schools participating 

in the USDA National School Lunch Program or 

other Child Nutrition Programs

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97

PARENT HANDOUTS

Ten Tips Nutrition 

Education Series: 

Make Half Your 

Grains Whole

This handout provides a list of 10 tips to help 

incorporate whole grains into your diet, as well 

as an explanation of where to find whole grains.

Available for download from the Center 

for Nutrition Policy and Promotion at: 

http://www.choosemyplate.gov/

food-groups/downloads/TenTips/

DGTipsheet4MakeHalfYourGrains

Whole.pdf

Ten Tips Nutrition 

Education Series: 

Smart Shopping for 

Veggies and Fruits

This handout offers 10 tips to fit fruits and 

vegetables into any budget. Tips include buying 

store brands, opting for canned or frozen forms, 

and more.

Available for download from the USDA 

Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion 

at: http://www.choosemyplate.gov/

food-groups/downloads/TenTips/

DGTipsheet9SmartShopping.pdf

Eat Smart To 

Play Hard With 

MyPlate Mini Poster 

(8.5”x11”)

This two-sided mini poster shows the MyPlate 

icon on one side and foods in the five food 

groups on the reverse.

Schools can view, download, and order

the mini poster from Team Nutrition at: 

http://www.fns.usda.gov/tn/resourcelibrary/

*Printed copies available to schools participating 

in the USDA National School Lunch Program or 

other Child Nutrition Programs

TRACKERS AND JOURNALS

MyPlate 

SuperTracker

Tracker to help find out what and how much 

to eat; track foods, physical activities, and 

weight; and personalize with goal setting, 

virtual coaching, and journaling. 

Available from the USDA Center for 

Nutrition Policy and Promotion at:

http://www.choosemyplate.gov/

supertracker-tools/supertracker.html

Reaching 

Produce Peak

Food journal for seventh grade to track their fruit 

and vegetable consumption in Nutrition Voyage: 

The Quest to Be Our Best.

Available from Team Nutrition at: 

http://www.fns.usda.gov/sites/default/

files/nutvoyage7_trek1.pdf

Fuel Up 

With Veggies...

and Zoom to 

the Finish!

Tracker for fifth and sixth grades to encourage 

vegetable consumption in Dig In! (Lesson 4 

Handout 2).

Available from Team Nutrition at: 

http://www.fns.usda.gov/sites/default/

files/diginTG_handouts.pdf

Fruit and 

Veggie Detective 

Challenge Tracker

Student Handout 6.2 for third and fourth grades 

in The Great Garden Detective Adventure to track 

fruit and vegetable consumption over 5 days.

Available from Team Nutrition at: 

http://www.fns.usda.gov/sites/default/

files/gd_lesson6.pdf

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98

CHILDREN’S STORIES

Discover MyPlate 

Emergent Readers

These 6 kid-size mini books incorporate sight 

words and build literacy skills while teaching 

children about the five food groups and MyPlate.

Schools can view, download, and order 

this resource from Team Nutrition at: 

http://www.fns.usda.gov/tn/resourcelibrary/

*Printed copies available to schools participating 

in the USDA National School Lunch Program or 

other Child Nutrition Programs

Two Bite Club This educational storybook can be used by 

parents or caregivers to introduce MyPlate to 

young children. The back of the book contains 

a MyPlate coloring page, a blank certificate for 

the Two Bite Club, fun activity pages for kids, 

and Tips for Growing Healthy Eaters.

Schools can view, download, and order 

the storybook from Team Nutrition at: 

http://www.fns.usda.gov/tn/resourcelibrary/

*Printed copies available to schools participating 

in the USDA National School Lunch Program or 

other Child Nutrition Programs

VIDEOS

Healthier Middle 

Schools: Everyone 

Can Help

Healthier Middle Schools: Everyone Can Help 

is a series of communication tools designed 

to help schools engage teachers, principals, 

parents, food service managers, and students 

in school wellness efforts. There is a video and 

print handout for each audience.

Schools can view, download, or print at: 

http://www.fns.usda.gov/tn/resourcelibrary/

*Schools participating in USDA Child Nutrition Programs 

may also request a free DVD and printed copies of 

the handouts.

Milk Video In this video for parents, a mom talks to viewers 

about the importance of low-fat and fat-free 

dairy, including daily nutritional requirements and 

strategies for switching a family from full-fat to 

low-fat milk.

Available online from Team Nutrition at: 

http://www.fns.usda.gov/core-nutrition/milk

Whole Grains Video This video for parents highlights the importance 

of eating whole grains, and also includes several 

recipe ideas and suggested serving sizes for 

various whole grain foods.

Available online from Team Nutrition at:

http://www.fns.usda.gov/core-nutrition/

whole-grains

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99

GAMES

MyPlate 

Blast Off! Game

Players learn how to include healthy foods 

from a variety of food groups by fueling their 

MyPlate Spaceship. For grades 5-6.

Available online from Team Nutrition at: 

http://www.fns.usda.gov/tn/resourcelibrary/

Team Nutrition 

Track & Field FuelUp Challenge

Participants answer a series of nutrition-related 

questions to power up for each event in an 

interactive game. For grades 5-6.

Available online from Team Nutrition at: 

http://www.fns.usda.gov/multimedia/

games/trackandfield/index.html

WIDGETS

Milk Widget This online widget provides moms with tips and 

tricks to get their families to drink low-fat and fatfree milk. It suggests creative ways to integrate 

more milk into families’ diets.

Available online from Team Nutrition at: 

http://www.fns.usda.gov/core-nutrition/milk

Whole Grains 

Widget

This widget for moms can be embedded on a 

Web site to share the benefits of eating whole 

grains, suggestions for selecting whole grains at 

the grocery store, and whole-grain meal ideas.

Available online from Team Nutrition at: 

http://www.fns.usda.gov/core-nutrition/

whole-grains

GRAPHICS

MyPlate Graphic 

Resources

Downloadable graphics of the MyPlate icon. Available from the USDA Center for 

Nutrition Policy and Promotion at: 

http://www.choosemyplate.gov/printmaterials-ordering/graphic-resources.html

Team Nutrition 

Graphics Library

Jazz up your elementary school menus and 

encourage healthy choices with food group 

graphics, Serving UpMyPlate message graphics, 

and more.

Available from Team Nutrition at: 

http://www.fns.usda.gov/tn/graphicslibrary

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RECIPES

Recipes for Healthy 

Kids Cookbooks

The recipes in these cookbooks (Cookbook for 

Homes; Cookbook for Schools; Cookbook for 

Childcare) feature foods both children and adults 

should consume more of: dark green and 

orange vegetables, dry beans and peas, and 

whole grains.

Schools can view, download, 

or print the cookbooks at: 

http://www.fns.usda.gov/tn/resourcelibrary/

*Printed copies available to schools participating 

in the USDA National School Lunch Program or 

other Child Nutrition Programs

RESOURCES FOR SCHOOL NUTRITION SERVICES

Fact Sheets 

for Healthier 

School Meals

Fact sheets to incorporate the 2010 Dietary 

Guidelines for Americans recommendations 

within the school meal pattern requirements 

and nutrition standards.

Available for download from Team Nutrition:

http://www.fns.usda.gov/tn/resourcelibrary/

Food Buying 

Guide for Child 

Nutrition Programs

This manual for Child Nutrition Programs has 

all of the current information to help you and 

your purchasing agent (1) buy the right amount 

of food and the appropriate type of food for 

your program(s), and (2) determine the specific 

contribution each food makes toward the meal 

pattern requirements.

Available for download from Team Nutrition:

http://www.fns.usda.gov/tn/resourcelibrary/

ONLINE RESOURCES

MyPlate Fruits 

and Veggies Video 

Challenge

These videos show how to add more fruits and 

vegetables cheaply and easily into your daily diet. 

The videos, submitted from contestants across 

the country, encourage healthy eating habits 

and raise awareness for MyPlate and the Dietary 

Guidelines for Americans.

Information available online at: 

http://fruitsandveggies.challenge.gov/

Tips, Advice, and 

Guidance for Moms 

of Elementary 

School Children

This resource provides audience-tested 

messages and supporting content that 

educators can incorporate into handouts for 

mothers of elementary school age children. 

Topics include: fruits and vegetables, whole 

grains, and milk.

Available online from the Food and Nutrition 

Service at: 

http://www.fns.usda.gov/sites/default/

files/AllFruitandVegMessagesforMoms.pdf

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Chefs Move 

to Schools

Through this program, chefs adopt a school; 

work with teachers, parents, school nutrition 

professionals, and administrators to help educate 

children about food; and show them that healthy 

eating can be fun. From this link, you can access 

sign-up forms for chefs and schools who want to 

get involved in the program.

Information available online from the 

Healthy Meals Resource System at: 

http://healthymeals.nal.usda.gov/

resource-library/chefs-move-schools

HealthierUS School 

Challenge (HUSSC)

HUSSC is a voluntary certification initiative 

recognizing schools participating in the USDA 

National School Lunch and Breakfast Program 

that have created healthier school environments. 

This link provides access to the application and 

criteria materials.

Information available online from Team 

Nutrition at: http://www.fns.usda.gov/

hussc/healthierus-school-challengeapplication-materials

Recipes for Healthy 

Kids Competition

Through this competition, the USDA challenges 

school nutrition professionals, chefs, students, 

parents, and interested community members 

to create new, healthy recipes for inclusion on 

school lunch menus across the country.

Information available online 

from Team Nutrition at: 

http://www.fns.usda.gov/tn/resourcelibrary/

School Breakfast 

Program (SBP)

USDA’s SBP provides cash assistance to 

States to operate nonprofit breakfast programs 

in schools and residential childcare institutions. 

This link provides a fact sheet, program 

history, and information on how to expand your 

program.

Information available online from the Food 

and Nutrition Service at: http://www.fns.usda.

gov/sbp/school-breakfast-program-sbp

Team Nutrition: 

Schools Database

This database includes schools that have 

requested and received Team Nutrition materials, 

with a goal to include all National School Lunch 

Program participants in the database.

Information available online 

from Team Nutrition at: 

http://www.fns.usda.gov/tn/database

TEAM NUTRITION POPULAR EVENTS IDEA BOOKLET, FNS-462